


Migraines

by Aloe_kun



Category: Excel Saga
Genre: Cleaning, Excel being concerned, F/M, Headaches & Migraines, Hiding Medical Issues, Hyatt gets a brief mention, Loyalty, Medication, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 04:16:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15428802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aloe_kun/pseuds/Aloe_kun
Summary: In any other scenario, he considered himself to be a fast and effective thinker, against any odds or enemy of ACROSS!Except for migraines, apparently.It was frustrating.





	Migraines

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lamia of the Dark (VisceraNight)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisceraNight/gifts).



He really should have known better than to carry on working once the symptoms had started. It had happened enough times by now, you would think, for him to recognise when it'd set in, but apparently not. He'd dismissed the niggling start of a pain in his head, flashing at the corners of his eyes and slight dizziness as a product of not enough sleep, or maybe a minor cold. Headaches weren't exactly unusual, especially on days like today when Excel was around in the base, always talking or singing or something. He really should have known better.  
  
Which brought him to now.  
  
Currently, the Lord was curled up on his side on his bed, eyes lidded. Sure, he was tired, but the throbbing pain in his skull wasn't going to let him sleep. Even the fairly dim light stung his achey eyes. He'd discarded the cape and headpiece he usually wore, and soon after his dark jacket as well, finding himself feeling too damn hot to keep it on. He would have taken more off, but his headache seemed to worsen the more he moved.  
  
Ilpalazzo was no stranger to migraines. With someone like Excel around, it was doubtless that pretty much anyone would get headaches, but his preexisting problems with them only made that worse. Still, he supposed, she couldn't help it if she was loud, it was simply her nature. But that didn't, he reminded himself, make it any less annoying.  
  
When the worst of it had initially begun to settle in his head, it was when he'd decided to sit down for a moment, to rest his for eyes for just a couple of minutes from the seemingly far brighter than normal lights. It was only when he stood back up, somewhat irritated that resting for a second didn't help, that the full pain of it really set in, the ache in his skull flaring up and dark spots taunting him at the edges of his vision. It was about then when he'd announced to his overly cheerful subordinate- who had at that point been busying herself with cleaning the floor- that he was going to go rest a little while. Her chirped concern ("Oh no Lord Ilpalazzo, are you feeling ok?" "Do you need Excel to get you anything?") seemed far too loud at the time, making him cringe at the shooting pain it caused. He'd met the concern with a dismissive wave with the hand that wasn't held to his forehead, and left down the hall to go to his own room.  
  
He had painkillers, strong ones, for this sort of situation. The only problem with that was, he hadn't picked them up before he lay down, and he didn't keep them by his bedside either (though he really should). The thought of taking them had completely slipped his unfocused mind, which had been preoccupied with keeping him from just keeling over. It presented him with a choice:  
  
One one hand, he could just stay still, and not get up to make the short trip to the bathroom for the pills. It would take longer to feel better, but required far less effort.  
  
On the other hand, he could get up, but... Just the thought of getting up and moving about made him grimace. Any sort of physical activity, even just sitting up, would undoubtedly worsen the already near unbearable throbbing in his head. Walking to his room had been a painful reminder. If it was already this bad, he was right in questioning if getting up for the painkillers would be worth the awful ache and dizziness it was bound to cause him.  
  
He brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, the movement pushing his glasses askew in front of yellow eyes. He couldn't make the decision. In any other scenario, he considered himself to be a fast and effective thinker, against any odds or enemy of ACROSS!  
  
Except for migraines, apparently.  
  
It was frustrating, not being able to focus like this. If he made a choice, he'd carry it out, but he just couldn't think about it for long enough to actually give himself an answer.  
  
Just as his frustration was beginning to get the better of him, he heard soft footsteps coming along the hallway just outside his door. With Hyatt not, to his knowledge, in the building, he could only assume it was Excel. Now he thought of it, even though thunderclap headaches such as these weren't unfamiliar to him, he didn't think Excel had ever actually seen him affected by one. Was she worried, perhaps?  
Worried was an understatement. Excel had tried to focus on her self assigned duty of cleaning the floor, but couldn't, not knowing that something was wrong with her Lord Ilpalazzo! No matter how much she tried to concentrate on scrubbing the tiles, she just couldn't get the fact that he had seemed to be in pain out of her head. When he had said he was going to rest, his voice, normally stern and steady, had seemed strained, and the look on his face made it evident he wasn't feeling himself. She should know! If anyone knew anything about Ilpalazzo, it was her. Having worked under him and admired him for so long, she knew how to read him. So if he was ill, it would only be her loyal duty to ensure his recovery.  
  
Ilpalazzo heard the footsteps stop just outside his door, and braced himself to hear Excel's altogether too cheery voice piercing through the door, but to his surprise, it never came. Instead, his subordinate knocked gently on the wood, voice kept purposefully quiet.  
  
"Lord Ilpalazzo? Are you alright, Sir?" she called softly, the sound making him flinch, but not as hard as he'd anticipated. He stayed fairly quiet, though. It didn't seem fitting for Excel to see her superior like this, but if she persisted, he might have to let her.  
  
He didn't have a rope here, after all.  
  
A few minutes passed, the knocking quiet and constant, Excel periodically expressing her wish to help in any way possible. He'd just been considering telling her to just leave, but was a little caught of guard.  
  
"Sir, please! Excel is worried about you!"  
  
He stopped his train of thought there. It seemed his subordinate was really quite concerned about him at the moment, such worry uncharacteristic for her happy go lucky nature. It would be a little degrading for her to see him, the leader of ACROSS, like this, but if he didn't just let her in he was certain she'd continue to knock and call until her knuckles bruised and voice went. He gave in with a resigned sigh, eyes squeezed shut just briefly before they trailed over to the door.  
  
"It's unlocked, Excel." He called over. Raising his voice like that, even if it was only slightly, hurt, and made him flinch. For a moment he wasn't even sure if she'd heard him.  
  
That must have been just brief hesitation on Excel's part though, as the door was soon carefully opened, the familiar, orange framed face of his subordinate appeared, looking concerned. At least she made an effort to keep her noise down, closing the door gently and speaking at a volume thankfully far lower than her usual excitable shouting.  
  
"Are you ok, Sir? You've been here a while... " She inquired quietly.  
  
He looked her over briefly. She wasn't in her regular uniform, understandable as she had been cleaning. She had a bandana tied around her head, and a plain pink shirt and jeans. Her knees seemed scuffed from kneeling on the floor.  
  
Ilpalazzo would have tried to look more dignified, but it was difficult to do like the, so clearly weakened and without the robes and headpiece that would normally assert his status. He settled for making eye contact, and trying to keep his voice level. He didn't want to appear as though he was weak, but it was difficult.  
  
"...It's just a headache, Excel." He stated as though he hadn't almost fainted on the way to his room earlier. "I'm fine."  
  
"Lord Ilpalazzo, with all due respect, you don't look fine." She countered as she walked to his bedside, carefully avoiding stepping on the articles discarded on the floor.  
  
He didn't really have a reply. Ilpalazzo had expected Excel to take his word for it and leave, but it seemed as though she was more perceptive than he'd given her credit for. He opened his mouth to reply, but trailed off. His lack of concentration didn't help, either.  
  
Before he could come up with any sort of response, Excel had taken a seat just perched on the edge of the bed, looking down at him with a smile.  
  
"Don't worry if you aren't feeling good, Sir...! Excel will take care of you!" Her voice lifted a little louder than Ilpalazzo would have liked as the ended the last sentence, making him wince. But it didn't go unnoticed; she quickly apologised. "Sorry, Sir. I'll try and keep my voice down..."  
  
There was a short pause as Excel thought about how best to continue. She soon seemed to figure it out. She may sometimes have had a roundabout way of doing things, but she'd always been a fairly fast thinker.  
  
"Have you taken any painkillers, Sir?" She asked, head tilting a little to the side.  
  
Ilpalazzo hesitated slightly before replying.  
  
"No. " He said. "Not yet, in any case... "  
  
His subordinate had soon jumped to her feet, smiling broadly.  
  
"Well, that's a good place to start...! " She chirped, albiet quietly, as she made her way to the bathroom." Where do you keep them, Sir? "  
  
He had to think for a moment. Excel was thoughtfully waiting in the doorway so he didn't have to raise his voice too much for comfort. Though he'd have to sit up, it'd be easier with the knowledge that he didn't have to actually leave the bed and move around.  
  
"They're in a tall cabinet to the left... " He began, pausing a moment as he thought again."Near the top, I believe, in a red box." Secretly, he was quite pleased he'd been able to remember that much, even with a headache like this.  
  
Excel quickly nodded and went to look for them. While she was gone, all he'd really have to do was sit up, so he could take the pills easier. Bracing himself, he cautiously pushed himself up, a hint of a grimace on his face at the discomfort it caused. But nonetheless, he managed. As he reached up a hand to straighten his glasses, Excel returned, holding the box with a triumphant look on her face.  
  
"Found them, Sir...!" She said. Though her tone was cheerful, it was practically a whisper, careful not to worsen her superiors headache. She handed the box to him with a smile. "I'll get you some water, ok?"  
  
She turned away, ready to go and retrieve a glass, but was stopped by the sound of Ilpalazzo's voice behind her.  
  
"Excel... " He began  
  
Her attention was centered on him again as she acknowledged his soft call of her name.  
  
" Yes, Sir? "  
  
The Lord glanced to the side briefly, gloved hands fiddling with the box he held.  
  
"Thank you. " He said, finally.  
  
Excel's face instantly brightened at the praise, and ridiculous grin crossing her face, green eyes practically sparkling.  
  
"Not a problem, Sir...!" She said cheerfully, but still mindfully quiet, as she turned back to resume her task of getting a glass of water for the other.  
  
As Ilpalazzo watched her go about the 'mission', enthusiastic as always, a thought crossed his mind. He wouldn't pay it much attention right at that moment, but maybe it would come back to him later.  
  
Perhaps it wasn't so bad to let someone take care of him.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure Il Palazzo would warm up to her eventually, but for now I suppose his attitude will be the same. Figured I'd gift this to Lamia, since they wrote some of my favourite Excel Saga fics!


End file.
